It's curtains for walden

Somajiguda: Soon curtains will come down on a famed bookstore, Walden, located near the Chief Minister's Camp office. To be precise, on July 31 the landmark bookstore that has been a favourite hunting ground for book lovers will shut shop thus bringing to an end a glorious run.

It all started on July 28, 1990 just before India embraced the market economy and a new generation of Indians began to get to terms with global fashion and lifestyle. Books of different genres began to make their way and Walden it was that all headed to.

Ramprasad, the owner of Walden, said, "I started this book shop as I am a book lover. In Chennai, I used to read lots of books from the bookstore named Landmark. I wanted to open a similar bookstore in Hyderabad. We have had a wonderful run but the time has come to bid good bye."

For book lovers, though, the stores at Gachibowli and Banjara Hills would continue. For the staff it is a bitter pill to swallow. "I have been working here for 10 years and right now I'm handling accounts but I have to look for a new job," says Narasimha.

With the advent of online shopping, sales started to dip drastically. Illogical discounts by online stores and traffic congestion near the store has caused a severe dent. In the past 2-3 years, the footfalls at the bookstore dropped drastically because of the spurting of online stores, as people find it convenient to buy books online, adds the owner.

"I have been coming here from the past 25 years; I am really shocked to know it is closing," says Deepti, a customer. The bookstore is one of my favorite stores in the city and we were shocked when we came to know the shop is going to get shut. From 15 years we are coming here," said Amrutha and Ramesh, regular customers to the store.